My name is Kinneret Horowitz and I am a senior at Steinbrenner High School. With a 5.3 GPA, membership in the National Honors Society, and leadership as president of the Jewish Student Union, I am deeply involved in my school and the Jewish community here in Tampa. I also co-teach Hebrew at Shaari Tzedek synagogue every Sunday and balance two part-time jobs.

I grew up in a Jewish home with strong Jewish values and hardworking parents. My parents taught me the importance and the value of serving something greater than myself. My mother is a teacher in elementary school, and my father has always been involved in the protection of Jewish communities. Every year, my father would go back to Israel to serve in his military unit, and most recently he went back to serve after the October 7th war broke out. These were not easy times, but we understood the importance of serving, supporting, and protecting our heritage and our community.

This May I will graduate high school, and I hope to participate in the Young Judaea gap year program in Israel. The program offers a unique opportunity to live, learn, travel, and work in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv for nine months. It would be a life-changing experience, allowing me to explore my heritage in a meaningful way and to grow as a person. Although my family and I are working hard to make this dream possible, we need additional support to cover tuition and living expenses in Israel.

Your support would mean the world to me. By contributing, you are helping me take the next step in my journey in connecting with my roots and building a strong Jewish identity for myself. I look forward to bringing back knowledge and experiences that will shape the future of myself, my community and my family. Thank you for considering a donation and for being part of my community.